The Torture of Cyprus ìn Magus
by darknightstalker
Summary: Harry Potter started attending St. Brutus School for Criminal Boys when he was 8 and has lived a life no child should. Cyprus had lived imprisoned in the schools basement for 378 years, tortured to what no human mind can withstand. Will the 2 find the solace they seek at Hogwarts? Better than it sounds. Warning: torture, rape, and abuse. Plz read and review.
1. Chapter 1

St. Brutus's school for Criminal Boys was grey and bleak on the outside. From what bare rock could tell it was a perfect school for the Criminal Mind to be flushed from your average little boy. On the inside however was a different picture. The school look had been replaced by that of a high security prison. Cells lined the floors and the constant buzz of electricity could be heard from the atrium. It was not however, a silent ghostly place. There were different voices all around you each singing or humming or whistling their own little tune, and if you closed your eyes you would believe yourself to be In a cathedral on the day of the regular Sunday Mass.  
"Cyprus? Are you alright?" It's as a voice in the night that would often be heard by the closed metal door, a sign labelled, almost proudly, 'Cyprus's Room.' Three taps would follow the question signalling he was merely alive and surviving. This was their midnight ritual. The door would then be slowly opened by the woman all proclaimed the be 'the nice matron'. Then they huddled children would scuttle away in a mad dash to not be seen by whatever was behind the door. A deep throaty laugh would then echo through the silence, "come little ones. Let us sing." And the children would. They would sing until the sun peaked over the windows, then the door would be pushed closed again and locked, and each and every 'student' would return to their cells to begin a long day of hard work and studies. Thus their lives continued in relative normalcy.

Sirius Black had been running around as Padfoot for almost 3 hours. He and Snivillus had gone to Harry's relatives and discovered that the boy had been sent to a boarding school for Criminal Boys. The two were now going for a visit, and to remove Harry from that godawful place. Snape had watched him for almost 2 minutes and his pacing was finally bugging him.  
"Black if you don't get a grip I will retrieve Potter on my own, and demean him with every step he takes before we are even out of the gates. So I suggest you pull yourself together and get out of the door!" That worked. Black had jumped at the chance to be able to accompany his arch-rival in retrieving his godson, and in turn gave Severus a good laugh at his expense.

Harry chocked as the whip stung his back, he had only 10 lashes, Cyprus could take near hundreds, Aron Filch had whipped him bloody because of their music practice. He had never broken though. Filch probably never would break him, he watched as the whip struck Cyprus again, but his silence was rewarded. The whip was turned to Jamison, it had been totally unexpected and Jamison gave out a cry. Then he held his tongue. Filch took such pleasure in the screaming of his victims. Jamison had been at Filchs mercy longer than Harry had, but nowhere near Cyprus's level of pain tolerance. He had never taken the girls down to his dungeons to be tortured, only those who irked him in such a way as music did. Harry remembered the first time Cyprus had been whipped for such an indiscretion, Filch had heard him humming, often singing the odd phrase in some peculiar language. Filch had kept him in his basement for an entire day. Cyprus had returned limping and tired, anger burned in his eyes. Filch however had returned with a split lip and a bruised face, revenge in a way. However the beating had done what it was intended to do, Cyprus had never hummed after that day, though he often helped other improve their voices, he had never sung.  
The whip had stopped striking Jamison, and Harry was returned to the present, though he wished he had stayed in his memories.  
Filch was drawing his knife across Cyprus's skin, creating pictures and lines on his chest, but still he remains silent.

Severus Snape was not a patient man by nature, so when the receptionist had decided to take every possible route to avoid the topic they were after he would have cursed her if it hadn't been for the scream. If it was a playful scream, he would have made no hesitation to draw his wand and curse the woman, but this scream he had heard too often. The scream of a child being tortured.

He took off running


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

"Oh yes you do scream prettily. If only I had done this earlier. Oh yes! Scream!" Harry could see the electricity dancing off of Cyprus's bare skin, Filches magic thrummed with darkness as their tormentor hissed,

"Crucio!" It pushed Cyprus over the edge and he screamed, Filch just laughed and magically urged the whip to preform its gruesome duty. He pulled a switch beside the table and electricity swarmed over Cyprus's body with a higher voltage; he twitched in agony, whilst the torture continued. When Filch had finished he bent his prizes head, revealing his neck and bit. They were like this when Severus stumbled into the torture chamber.

Severus saw Harry first, strung up by his wrists next to another boy. Both were covered in scars and slashes that only a whip could deal, but for the minute he couldn't give a damn about the savior of the wizarding world. It was the boy lying on the stone slab that had caught his attention. He was the most beautiful creature Severus had ever seen, but the picture was ruined by the surroundings. The boy lay naked on the stone slab, covered in blood, and sweat. What horrified him was the fact that a monstrosity was covering him, and drinking his blood.

"Expellliarmus!" Severus shrieked, the boy screamed in pain as the leech was torn from his neck. Black had followed him and seen Harry; the boy had reacted violently when Black had tried to help him.

"Get him out of here! Let him go! Help him first! Please! Get him first! Get Cyprus first!" Black stunned him quickly and released the chains holding him, the other boy was more easily released, and he simply watched as Severus pulled their tormentor up from the floor and bound him. However, it was when Severus approached the slab of rock where he older boy was chained did he fight back.

"Get away from him! Your kind only causes pain to those around you! You shouldn't exist!" Severus was shocked by the rage, but didn't allow him to be stopped. The child was in desperate need of help.

"Actually. We are their kind." The voice was hoarse, screamed raw. Severus looked at the child. So he was a magical child, just as he had thought.

"Come I must help you child. You are severely injured and in need of sustenance." The boy whimpered, and for a moment Severus thought that he had scared him. Then he noticed that the wires were still stabbed into the child's body, sending out their electric pulses into the already damaged nerves system. There was nothing for it; the bastard had placed wards around the switch preventing anyone but himself from disabling the surge of electricity, he had to tear the wires from the boy's body. He drew in a shuddering breath and approached the boy. Carefully leaning over the child he sent up a quick prayer to whatever god would listen to him, and tore the offending wires from the angel's chest. Severus suddenly felt a surge of unwanted satisfaction as the boy screamed, almost causing him to restart the torture he had witnessed earlier.

"I'm so sorry. It had to be done. I am so so sorry." He nearly sobbed as he freed the boy from the chains. With a nod to Black they apparated back to the Hogwarts gates.

CyprusMagusCyprusMagus

"Oh dear Merlin! Severus who are these boys? What has happened to them?" Poppy had worked herself into a state whilst she healed the boys. Taking greater care with Cyprus than he had dared when he had apparated them.

"Poppy! Please calm down. I will explain when I am sure none of them shall die." It worked. After 2 busy hours of bustle screams, pleading and worry the three children were healed and resting.

"Now Severus… Why don't you explain who these children are?" Albus suggested. He had arrived only twenty minutes ago and had helped to heal the small amounts of magical exhaustion each of the children had shown.

"The one on the far left is Jamison Sephley, he had been a prisoner for around two years. The next one is…" Severus hesitated, unsure whether or not he should tell them the hard truth. He decided to go for it, the headmaster would find out anyway, "he is Harry Potter." He ignored the horrified gasps and the pitying glances sent at the young saviors body. "And lastly the one closest to us is Cyprus. Anything else Poppy?"

"Harry will be fine, he was only there for three months. No extensive physical damage was done, but his mental health… that might be a minor set back. Jamison is much more damaged and he is quite close to insanity as he is. He might not ever have strong endurance because of the torture, but he will definitely survive this, and with the right healing we might be able to bring him off the edge of insanity. Finally Cyprus…" Poppy sighed and visibly shook, "never in all my years as a healer have I seen such a damaged child. I am still unsure whether or not he shall live. His body shows signs of absolutely severe malnutrition and abuse. I fear that even Death Eaters would not be so cruel, even You-Know-who would grant a child death before he got to such a stage. He may not walk or move again due to nerve damage; he might not even wake up. His vocal cords are strained, he probably won't ever speak above a whisper, but even that's pushing it. The worst is his mental health. The damage to his mind is still to be seen. The poor boy could be insane or have definite memory problems, we don't even know how far this damage runs, and we won't know until he wakes. If he decides to wake at all! There is nothing else we can do for him at this moment except keep them fed and kept on the most beneficial medication to their situation and ensure that they never need to go back to that prison. Also we wont be able to allow Argus to speak to these children the way he might to the other students as it could cause relapses. I have done the best I can, now we wait." And wait they all did.

CyprusMagusCyprusMagus

It was almost the start of August when Harry pulled out of the magical coma Poppy almost dropped the potions she was rearranging in shock when the wards around the Potter heirs bed fell.

"Where am I?" his voice was scratchy from either screams or misuse. She desperately hoped it was the latter. Quickly she sent four _Patronuses out to Severus, Minerva, Albus and Sirius, before tending to her new charge. _

_"You are in a hospital, being tended to for your injuries at that __despicable__ place. " Poppy very nearly spat at the frightened child, but Severus had arrived and it was an accident like that that would put the potions master into a rage. _

_"Do you remember Severus child. He rescued you." Harry looked at Snape and his last memory returned itself. _

_A tall black man with a formidable face stalked towards Cyprus. He was a magical as Cyprus called them. He watched as he sent their captor flying, drawing a scream from his Protector and comforter._

_He launched himself at the man shouting at the top of his lungs _

_"_Ubi est ille! ei quid fecisti? ubi est Magus?*" Severus jerked backwards, the forein language washed over his head, but he could guess what the boy was asking. He however wanted the questions in English so he would not yeild the answer until he received the question in an understandable language.

"Where is he! what have you done to him! where is the Mage?" _ah english at last_ Severus thought sarcastically, but he jestured to the far bed. Harry calmed instantly.

"I apologize for my rude behaviour. My master would scold me for it. You rescued us from the pits of hell and I have been nothing but rude to you.I was simply worried for my master. He has had a very painful life." The day continued with check ups and reassurances that he would be perfectly healthy.

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Jamison woke only a couple days afterwards and the meetings between Severus and Jamison was relatively the same. Now it was almost September first and Cyprus hadnt woken. Severus paced the length of his office untill he was weary. School would be open in two days and Cyprus still hadnt woken. He was about to take one last lap around his office out of pure frustration when the wards he had placed around the comatos child sent him running to the infirmary.

Inside the infirmary was not a groggy child, confused and scared. It was a thrashing screaming animalistic teenager.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thank you for the reviews. To shadow stalker who asked me their ages; Yes Harry is old enough to start Hogwarts, but because of the torture and abuse he suffered at the Dursleys and Aron Folch's hands he has reverted back to a childish state, so he acts around 6 years old. Jamison is old enough to be a third year but as he wasn't registered for Hogwarts he didn't get a letter. Cyprus is almost 900 years old so yeah he didn't get a Hogwarts letter as he wouldn't need one, but only Harry and Jamison know he is a Mage and Severus because Harry pretty much told him.

"Speech"

'Sign language'

Parseltounge

Chapter 3

"Severus! Thank Merlin! Quickly hold his arms down please. He keeps throwing off my spells like he's swatting at a fly. He is delirious." The mediwitch begged. Severus nodded and quickly followed the orders. Minerva and Hagrid were holding Harry and Jamison back from the screaming child.

"Please Cyprus! Come back from the edge. Please." Severus begged, but it was no use his screams and thrashing continued till nightfall. He whimpered, then it was quiet, but Severus didn't release the boys arms.

Cyprus whimpered and tried to curl in on himself, but the firm hands were his chains in his mind. He didn't understand what was happening, the acute stifling pain he had awoken to was gone. In fact he was at peace. He hadn't been since before he was imprisoned and the prophesy set in motion. He felt the tremors in the ground and registered that there was another person approaching him fast. He whimpered softly. His chest hurt like he hadn't drawn breath in years, and his throat burned like fiendfire. He felt a cold hand touch his forehead and he flinched back from the touch. He may have been almost 900 years old but most of any human contact he had experienced was to hurt him. Instinct was very hard to ignore, especially when you had no idea where you were, or who you were around. He felt the chains tighten around his wrists and he whimpered again hoping whoever was there would just leave him alone. He allowed the soft haze to descend around him again. He just wanted peace and quiet.

Soft voice piqued his curiosity, he wanted to hears their words. He fought the haze that surrounded him and called upon his magic to assist him. He was close to the surface of his mind, but he still couldn't hear. He didn't want to sleep, he wanted peace and quiet, just silence. He willed them silent, and the voices stopped. He thanked his magic silently, but it responded just like it had when he was a child. It curled around him like a blanket.

Severus spoke with Poppy in a hushed tone,

"Poppy I can't be certain if I can watch him once the school year starts. He must be at least conscious before I can take him then I can-" he choked suddenly, putting a slim fingered hand around his throat. He nodded unsurely before he withdrew his hand and signed something In fast sign language. She too was about to speak when she choked.

'He has stopped us from speaking. He obviously wants to rest, we were disturbing him' Severus nodded but he felt a strong wave of pure raw magic rush over him releasing him from whatever spell was around him.

Quickly he signed, 'don't speak unless you want him to silence us both again.' She nodded. They both exchanged a glance. They quickly left to speak elsewhere.

CyprusMagusCyprusMagus

It was midday when Cyprus opened his eyes. The room was white, and he was covered in a blanket. The room was unfamiliar. His captors had never let him leave the cell. The grey he knew, was obviously gone. It wasn't the fact that the grey was gone, but the fact that Jamison and Harry were. His Harry. His Jamie. Gone. Probably dead. Gone. He wanted to sit up, but the familiar bonds held him down. Then he realized something, something he had missed. There was no pain. No blood and tears to suggest he had felt the pain of heartbreak. No se-. No he couldn't think about that. Aron had always known when he was thinking of it and make him say that it was what he had wanted for days. Then he would be ra-. No, he could not think of that! Years of taking it had dissolved the pain into nothingness, but the ache of his used body afterwards always drove him to the edge. He would never let any of his Wards take such pain and heartbreak.

He tested the bindings. Not really fighting them. Just seeing what freedom he had. The ropes were loose, but not so loose that he could undo them. He registered a person entering the room, he didn't move or react at all. The person stood over him, Cyprus kept his eyes closed and his breathing even. The peace would only last as long as the façade did.

"I know you are awake. You keep twitching your eyes beneath the lids. It was a good bluff but you are too tense." He couldn't relax, not ever. Even in sleep he was prepared for the worst. He sighed and cracked open his eyes. A man dressed in black stood over him, his greasy shoulder length black hair and beady black eyes were easily recognizable as his... Rescuer. Cyprus's eyes flew open. He was... Free. Thought seemed Alien to him, freedom wasn't something he had experienced in a very long time. He had been imprisoned for years. He wasn't quite sure how many.

"What...year... Is it?" Speech was foreign, he barely spoke when he was in the company of people (aside from Harry and Jamie of course). The dark man seemed taken aback as his eyes narrowed in uncertainty.

"It is 1991." Cyprus choked. 378 years, he had suffered for 378 years. He leaned back into the pillows and struggled to remember what he had done to deserve that fate. Then he remembered. Someone had called him forward. He shouldn't have been brought into existence until much later.

He felt the a familiar pull of the bond he had established at the beginning of his imprisonment. The Curse wasn't over yet. Aron was still alive. 'Aron should have died as soon as I had been taken from the building' Cyprus thought.

"The headmaster of the school would like to meet with you." The dark man informed him, "I am to take you as soon as you are well enough to stand." Good, that was good, he was in a school, and judging by his robes it was a wizarding school.

"Where am I, and who are you?"

"You are in Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am Severus Snape potions professor." Cyprus nodded at the statements. He had one last question, one that might determine his fate, or give him the permission he needed to ask his other question.

"What happened to Harry and Jamison?" The man- Severus- looked at him carefully,

"They are well. Recovering from their injuries. Harry woke first," Cyprus snorted, "then Jamison. They both woke around two weeks ago. We were worried that you might not wake at all. " Cyprus nearly screamed with

relief. They were alive and fully healed, well, physically at least. He had received his silent permission to ask the final question.

"If I go with you to speak with the headmaster will I be free to go afterwards?" He watched as Severus nodded slightly,

"We would, however prefer it if you stayed to heal. The headmaster has also made arrangements for the three of you to be educated here. Once the terms starts tomorrow." Cyprus simply nodded.

"I shall go with you. On the condition that you do not hold them against their will. I would rather watch them die than see them in agony again." Severus nodded his consent and release the bonds.

CyprusMagusCyprusMagus

Harry ran through the great hall. He had already met professor Mcgonagall head of Gryffindore house as well as Headmaster Dumbledore. The two had taken a liking to them, him and Jamison. He had yet to see Professor Snape since that day in hospital wing. He seriously wanted to see the man who had introduced himself as his

Godfather. They had been invited to be students as soon as term started tomorrow. He had heard that Cyprus had woken briefly, but he had been too delirious to stay conscious for long.

"Jamison! Jamison! Did you hear? Did you hear?" Jamison looked up from the book he had been reading at Harry's call.

"I have heard lots of things from different people, what you are referring to completely depends on who said what, when and where." Harry pouted,

"Yes I know what you are referring to." Harry immediately brightened up,

"The Cat Professor said we could stay here for the school year, and until other arrangements could be made." Jamison cursed Aron Filch for the thirtieth time. Harry had never had a childhood so he often reverted back to the behaviour of a normal carefree six year old child. It usually happened when he felt safe or secure enough to be off guard. He had switched only twice. The headmaster knew, so did McGonagall and Snape. He didn't like the dark professor, but he respected the man far too much to hate him. The dark professor had suffered as well in his life so he understood a little of what the two of them had been through. He could never be close to Cyprus's experience and he was somewhat thankful for that. Cyprus should have gone insane years before Jamison had even been born.

"So what do you think?" Reality crashed down on top of Jamison.

"Could you repeat the question and the statements that led up to it?" Harry giggled like he usually did when he said something intelligent sounding,

"I said what do you think Cyprus will say to the offer the Santa man made?" Jamison quirked an eyebrow,

"The Santa man?"

"The headmaster silly." Harry giggled again,

"Ah, I see. I don't know what Cyprus will say, he will probably agree though, but he will make the best decision for us, like he normally does. He won't do the best thing for all three of us, just us." Harry cocked his head to one side.

"Why?"

"I don't know. He's just always been like that I guess, but I would trust him with my life. Regardless." He could see the change that came over Harry, the six year old was gone, replaced with an eleven year old who had seen and experienced far too much.

"I know, I would too." Harry smiled a bit before the six year old was back and he ran off to find the 'cat professor'.

CyprusMagusCyprusMagus

The journey through the corridors was eventful to say the least. The portraits crowded around the child beside him. Cyprus, that was the boys name, flinched whenever there was a loud noise. He limped slightly and his face was deadly pale like he hadn't seen sunlight in years. The portraits whispered and pointed at him, some sniggered behind gloved hands, whilst others wept for the child. Severus put his hand on the child's shoulder and felt the child tense beneath his fingers. It pained him to see the Angel so weak and vulnerable.

"Who works here now?" The small voice beside him asked,

"Well there is me, then there is Filius Flitwick the charms Professor and head of Ravenclaw, and Minerva McGonagall head of Gryffindore house and Transfiguration Professor. Finally there is Pomona Sprout head of Hufflepuff house and Herbology Professor. There is also Hagrid the Care of Magical Creatures professor and Sinestra Hooch the Flying Instructor. We also have Sybil Trelawney the Divination professor. That is about it." Cyprus nodded, then froze,

"There's something your not telling me. Something you don't think I should know. What is it?" Severus tensed but relented quickly,

"We don't know if we should tell you until we are sure of your mental state. We will however, tell you before the week is out." Cyprus accepted it, albeit reluctantly, and didn't press the matter. They resumed their walk to the gargoyle at the same easy pace.

Cyprus suddenly stumbled and fell, Severus managed to get his arms beneath the child, but he felt the boy tense in the contact with another person.

"LET ME GO! LET GO, LET GO! I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING! LET ME GO!" Sensing that Cyprus was close to lashing out in his panic, Severus let go and allowed the boy to fall. He was expecting the child to run and to get away from him, but the boy just lay there shuddering and gasping for breath. Then..

"No. No, Don't. I did it just don't... ...NO! SHE WAS AN INNOCENT! SHE WAS AN INNOCENT! HOW COULD YOU!" Severus watched as the yelling and the crying stopped,

"It's all right. I wish I could help you Aleasa but I can't. You were so brave... Yes, you were so so brave... You will definitely go to where all the good little girls go. Yes my sweet child, rest now. I shall watch over you until morning." Again the persona changed,

"*Helai! Helai vast sair chali. Helai! Helai*!" (Curse you! Curse you to the pits of hell! Curse you! Curse you!) There was no pity or sadness left. The child didn't raise his voice, but simply whispered the curse and that was far more chilling and creepy than any raised voice could ever be. The child went limp. Severus bent down to inspect the shuddering child.

"Forgive me. I was caught in a flashback. I apologize if I caused any inconvenience."

Flashback

Where is he! what have you done to him! where is the Mage?" ah english at last Severus thought sarcastically, but he jestured to the far bed. Harry calmed instantly.

"I apologize for my rude behaviour" ... I apologize.

End Flashback

Severus shook his head to clear his mind,

"Oh child what did that monster do to your mind if only a touch can send you into a flashback?" The whisper was more to himself, and if the boy heard there was no reply.

"Come child. Let us continue, we mustn't keep the headmaster, his office is just around the corner."

*= He-lay He-Lay Vast Say-R Shall-Ee

A/N: so some of you may have been confused with this, but it was difficult for me to write this chapter as I have to leave out a whole bunch of stuff. I have a whole bunch of ideas and I can't put them in yet so my frustration grows ?. If you have any questions, requests and/or ideas please put them in your reviews. Luv you guys and I am so thankful for your support.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4.

"Ah, Severus my dear boy. How goes your potions? Will you please take a seat? Lemon drop?" Severus refused the lemon drop (as usual) and the seat.

"They are going well." Was all he offered. Severus eyed Cyprus, the boy was sitting on his knees in the chair in front of him, his eyes were wide and searching, guarded and almost dead. Severus sighed and conjured up a chair, ignoring Albus's twinkling eyes.

"I trust you had a pleasant journey Cyprus?" The child's eyes narrowed, as if searching for a reason to distrust the headmaster. He turned away a moment later to resume examining the office. Albus sighed, the boy had little magic in him, it was refilling as they waited for a verbal reply. Finally the child spoke. His voice raspy and weak,

"I have decided to accept your offer of schooling for the sake of my wards. However I have one condition," Albus nodded for him to continue, " you will not keep them here against their will. Nor will you force them into anything they are neither willing nor ready to do." Albus's was surprised at how one sided the boys request was. He was ultimately offering his new found freedom in return for the other two children's continued immunity to his manipulation. A very high price.

"I am very sorry. But I do not find these conditions acceptable." Cyprus tensed, and sent a chilling look at the headmaster,

"I will not allow my wards to be held here against their will. Your tone suggests pain for those who defy your wishes." Albus was surprised, few ever caught that underlying threat, Severus was the only one who ever caught it.

" apologize if that was what you caught in my refusal to your requests, I simply meant that you had not given yourself freedom in your conditions... I cannot enslave you whilst your... Wards go free." Cyprus closed his eyes and breathed deep,

"It would not matter if I were allowed to go free, I must be here. Hogwarts herself has willed it. I am a slave anyway, my freedom matters little. I am far too early to walk around freely." Severus caught the meaning, 'I am far too unstable and dangerous to be free. I am not free yet anyway.'

Albus sighed, this child believed that he had no worth. That Freedom was not what he should be looking for. He nodded to the boy,

"I apologize for this, but I cannot trust you. I must ask you to either submit to veritaserum or Legilemancy." The boy looked lost, those deep blue eyes were so empty of all life, so broken.

"I shall show Severus." Was all Cyprus offered.

"Prepare yourself." Commanded Severus, "legilemence!" He entered the black landscape of the boys mind.

Severus sifted through different memories trying to gain some understanding, most were of blackness and pain. He felt Cyprus guide him forward, pushing away some memories and attracting others. Finally he was shown a substantial memory:

Cyprus stood next to a young child, he was teaching something.

"Listen to me Ambrosias. You must focus your gift on the stone, nothing else. Once you can lift the stone, you can proceed on changing it. Not before." The child huffed,

"Why can't I play with the others?" Ambrosias huffed,

"Last time you 'just played', you set Arthur's sword on fire, whist it was in his hand, simply because you were angry. Now do it." Cyprus gestured to the stone in his palm. Ambrosias glared at the stone making it explode, the grinned cheekily up at Cyprus.

"You have no stone that I may practice with. Might I go play whilst you search for another." Cyprus chuckled, and the stone put itself back together.

"Again..."

The next memory was in the middle of a battle field. Severus watched as Cyprus whirled through the battle, twin bone knives flashing dangerously, cutting through enemies like butter.

"Ambrosias! Help Arthur!" He cried before dispatching a nearby enemy with a flick of his wrist. The motion was not missed, leader to a cry of retreat,

"Mage! They have a Mage! Retreat! Retreat!"

Cyprus wandered through the sea of dead bodies until he came to a young man.

"Mordred, you would have been a great wizard. Yet you strayed past the knowledge of darkness I gave you. You should not have touched the black Magiks." He bent down, and thrust one of his bone knives into Mordreds chest.

The third memory he was shown was far more recent. Cyprus lay bound to a cold stone slab. His shirt was gone, and his trousers were torn and bloody. The fresh scars across his chest were still oozing with blood. His hair was dried red. Severus felt the pain Cyprus had experienced and quickly tried to exit, but Cyprus held him fast. Severus felt his mind begin to whir trying to sort out the pain it was in. He pushed against the mental barriers, but they held fast. Severus felt his consciousness recede...

Then he was out. Gone were the bloodstained walls of a torture chamber, replaced with the colourful walls of the headmasters office. He sat back in the chair gasping for breath and struggling to process the different rooms. He turned to look at Cyprus, his eyes wide.

"How long?" Cyprus looked at him, his eyes conveying his true his age.

"378 years. I spent 378 years in hell"

A/N: THE SECRET IS OUT! Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I apologize for the short chapter, but it needed to be short to convey exactly what I wanted. The next chapter will be much longer. Please review and enjoy. Till next time.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 3. Different perspectives

Severus POV

The day continues and I move through it like in a daze. I felt only a fraction of what they put Cyprus through. His life was hell, spent under the hands of a torture master. Very few can handle such pain, I once thought myself as one of them, but now I realize that only a fraction of what that poor child felt nearly unravelled my carefully guarded mind. It was a wonder that the boy was even sane.

The students will be arriving tonight and Harry, Jamison and Cyprus will be sorted with the other first years. I wonder what house Cyprus will be in. Harry will probably be in Gryffindore, he is definitely brave and foolish like the lions, Jamison is smart, cunning and always searching for more knowledge. The perfect Ravenclaw. Cyprus is everything, loyal, brave, seeking intelligence and most of all cunning. He would have had to be cunning to survive for years, barely even living. To be able to keep two others alive in the same circumstances is nigh impossible.

I shiver with the knowledge I now posses. I need to protect this information he has chosen to give me. Even Albus cannot know he is Mage, if Cyprus intends to tell him then it is his decision. It is not my secret to tell. So I will keep it.

Albus intends to speak with me and Cyprus after the opening feast, I think he means to take more memories. After all, my parting remark this afternoon was far from helpful.

Flashback...

"Albus! That child has been in HELL for longer THAN YOU'VE BEEN ALIVE!" Cyprus flinched and closed his eyes against the reminder that he was so damaged.

"Don't try to make me tell you what I saw in his mind. It will undo you. It nearly undid me." Severus whispered. Cyprus winced again, but this time from the angle he was sitting at.

"Very well then. I must know if he is trusted though." Severus nodded in answer,

"If anyone in this school is to be trusted... It is that boy." With that he had taken Cyprus and swept from the room. Black robes billowing in what could only be described as anger.

End Flashback...

CyprusMagusCyprusMagus

Harry's POV

I see the dark man, Severus, sweep through the corridors towards the hospital wing. He seems to be lost in thought, I have been waiting for a moment alone with him. Quickly making my decision I fall into step with him (which is quite difficult considering his long legs and my limp).

"I never did thank you for rescuing Master. He can be quite difficult when it comes to gratitude. Please be patient with him, he has not had the best of lives. He is far too early." The last part was whispered Severus gives me a weird look.

"What does that mean? He is far too early for what?" He asks, I look at him for a moment, considering. What he is asking is knowledge only Cyprus and a select few know of, me being one of them.

"Perhaps Cyprus will tell you. One day, when he is not too close to the edge." I see a cat rounding a corner and a light bubble of laughter escapes me, the cat professor has finally found me. I give chase.

CyprusMagusCyprusMagus

Jamison's POV

Cyprus has odd sleep patterns, something I have never noticed before. Sleep patterns seemed so pointless then. Those days when we hung from our wrists wondering when we would be released to eat or relieve ourselves, we sometimes had hung there like puppets for weeks on end, Cyprus seemed to watch over us, every whiplash he endured was for Harry and I, he had said. We had watched as he was tortured ruthlessly. Sometimes, on the bad days, Aron could draw a scream or a whimper, but Cyprus bared the pain silently most other times.

It is one of the bad days for him today and I watch as he lies still, almost lifeless. Then arches back and let's lose a terrifying scream of anguish. I am crying as I listen to the screams and whimpers. He is trapped in a memory that was truly horrifying for him. Soon the screams subside into whimpers and the whimpers into silent sobs wracking the frail child's body. Snape enters the hospital wing as my master is silently crying. I want more than anything to tell him to go away and keep his abnormally large nose out of our lives. But I know that Cyprus needs someone to talk to that could understand his ramblings. Cyprus begins muttering weird ingredients, he has done this often enough. On the bad days.

"Three metres of basalisk skin, two powdered roots of asphodel, fire pixie wings point five grams, three drops of a Storm Phoenix tears and two fire birds feathers." I see Snape perk up as he listens. Interest and curiosity are in his eyes.

"What is he talking about? He has done this before and I don't understand." Snape looks at me a bit, as if considering something, then nods,

"He is listing potions ingredients. Either he is taking stock in his mind, or he is listing the ingredients needed for a potion. If he is doing the latter I want to know what it does." I almost laugh at the almost eager expression he is displaying. So eager for more knowledge.

"It is a potion for a horribly painful death. Lasts two to three days. No cure. Not even a vampire can survive this. Least of all your dark lord and all his Horcruxes." Cyprus's raspy voice answers. Aron. He is yet to be free from the curse. It is slowly killing him, until Aron dies he will be systematically destroyed. His magic had been suppressed too long and is draining still.

"I will kill Aron, he deserves it." I hiss. Cyprus manages a weak smile, before his eyelids drift closed and he succumbs to the nightmares again. I look at Snape, he is watching Cyprus with a closed off look, almost with a new respect.

"Will you watch over him, I must find Harry before the Welcoming Feast?" I see Snape nod and I realize that Cyprus is part of his life now, and he is beginning to do what he had never dared to do after the Potters deaths. He was beginning to care about another person.

CyprusMagusCyprusMagus

Severus' POV

A realization hits me once I realize that I am nodding. I am beginning to care about Cyprus...

... And I cannot bring myself to stop.

A/N: well I hope this gives you an insight to the three out of four main characters. I will be doing more on Cyprus past later, but for now I will just focus on the welcoming feast and the sorting. just so you know I will be updating We All Fall Down, but I desperately need ideas, so PM me if you have an idea for a continuation. Luv u all, please read and review.

DNStalker


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: oh god I wish I owned this.

Chapter 6.

Harry stared at the students as they entered the entrance hall. He saw Jamison standing among them, waiting to be sorted. Minnie was trying her best to be stern whilst examining the crowd for potential Gryffindore's. As they entered the hall harry was shocked to see so many children, all spread out over four different tables. The Slytherin's were sitting poised at their table whilst the other houses were laughing and horsing around. Severus was missing, and the Slytherin's were uneasy.

"Now when I call your name, come sit on the stool and I will place the sorting hat on your head." The first years whispered amongst themselves, each one shivering in anticipation,

"Abbot Hannah,"

'HUFFLEPUFF!'

"Bones Susan"

'HUFFLEPUFF'

"Boot Terry."

'RAVENCLAW!'

'HUFFLEPUFF!' shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

'Boot, Terry!'

'RAVENCLAW!'

**'The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.

'Brocklehurst, Mandy' went to Ravenclaw too, but 'Brown, Lavender' became the first new Gryffindor and the table on the far left exploded with cheers; Harry could see Ron's twin brothers catcalling.

'Bulstrode, Millicent' then became a Slytherin. Perhaps it was Harry's imagination, after all he'd heard about Slytherin, but he thought they looked an unpleasant lot. He was starting to feel definitely sick now. He remembered being picked for teams during sports lessons at his old school. He had always been last to be chosen, not because he was no good, but because no one wanted Dudley to think they liked him.

'Finch-Fletchley, Justin!'

'HUFFLEPUFF!'

Sometimes, Harry noticed, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others it took a little while to decide. 'Finnigan, Seamus', the sandy-haired boy next to Harry in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.

'Granger, Hermione!''**went into Gryffindor

***When Neville Longbottom, the boy who kept losing his toad, was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When it finally shouted 'GRYFFINDOR', Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to 'MacDougal, Morag'.

Malfoy swaggered forward when his name was called and got his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, 'SLYTHERIN!'

Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself.

There weren't many people left now.

'Moon' … 'Nott' … 'Parkinson' … then a pair of twin girls, 'Patil' and 'Patil' … then 'Perks, Sally-Anne' … and then, at last –**

"Potter Harry!" The whispers started

"Did she say Harry Potter?"

"The harry potter?"

"The boy who lived? Where?" Harry shakily stepped into sight and walked slowly up to the stool.

'Hmmm. Tricky, now where to put you I wonder? Plenty of knowledge, loyalty to your master and friends, undoubtable courage, and a cunningness to keep out of trouble. Where to put you? Ahh. I see, you have faced many hardships. GRYFFINDOR is the place for you." Harry quickly ran to the screaming students gathered around the red dressed table.

"Sephyle Jamison"

'A yes, cunning, but far too much an eager eye for knowledge, to try and make your master proud through your Intelligence. RAVENCLAW! Is to be your new home.' Jamison nodded his acceptance and calmly went to the blue table.

Once the last had been sorted into their new house Snape made and appearance, Cyprus limped beside him, his face hidden beneath newly washed hair. He was quickly directed to the hat.

'LORD OF HOGWARTS!' The hat cried, the boy spoke quietly to the hat for a minute then,

'I cannot sort him into a house Albus. He pretty much owns Hogwarts. He is far too early, time has been thrown out of sync." Albus nodded, then stood.

"The sorting will stand! You may take a seat at any table." Cyprus caught the hint towards the Gryffindore table, where Harry sat patiently, wanting to see where his master would go, secretly hoping for his master to take the empty seat next to him.

Cyprus surveyed the hall, inspecting the the students before moving up to the head table and sitting between McGonagall and Snape, who leaned down and whispered something in his ear, he nodded then whispered something back, drawing a gasp from the entire hall when Snape smiled and reached into his robes and pulled out three potions vials. Three vials of the potion they had been told never to touch, let alone consume.

"He's poisoning the boy."

"Doesn't the kid know not to accept potions from HIM!"

"Is he an idiot?" Cyprus smirked into one of the vials. People always assumed the worst,

"I am assuming you can hear them?" Severus slyly whispered in his ear, surprising the the hall when Cyprus simply smiled.

"I am afraid I cannot remain here for too long. I must return to the Hospital wing."

"You will actually be staying in my quarters, whilst you heal. You may continue to stay there after as well, seeing as you don't have a true house." Cyprus nodded and continued to pick at the small serving of food on his plate.

"Cyprus you must eat. You are severely malnourished. I don't want to have you dying from malnourishment after all we've done to save you from everything else." Severus lifted another potion from his robes. Which Cyprus downed without a thought. Feeling his eyes droop he leaned back in the chair, shuddering at the memories the exhaustion brought back up.

"I... I can't sleep... Not here.. Too many memories..." Severus shared a meaningful glance with Minerva.

"I am afraid that Severus would be unable to take you back to his rooms, you must wait until the feast is over. We will watch over you." Cyprus shook his head,

"Not from the mind. I do not think Severus would appreciate getting locked in my nightmares again." The corner of Severus' mouth twitched upwards in an almost smile.

"No we can't, but if you help us we can keep you awake long enough to get you back to my quarters." At Cyprus' nod he continued to ask what had been on his mind since the day he had taken Cyprus to the headmasters office, " why did you snort when I said Harry had woken first?" Cyprus smiled slightly,

"Harry has always been resilient, he often tends to be the one to help Jamison through the tough areas of the lifestyle we lived. He is often the first to pull through any difficult situation so Harry waking first is just his style. He always woke me with his and Jamie's constant bickering." Severus nodded in understanding. Cyprus smiled faintly.

"They deserve so much more than what fate dealt them. They are lucky though. You got them out. I never even thought that they would see the world outside of that cell. I lost so many companions. Each one killed in a fit of rage. Some were defiled in the worst possible way." Severus saw Minerva put a hand over her mouth, tears streaming silently down her face, the head-table was silent. Save for a few sobs that occasionally made their way from Minerva's throat.

"Somedays I would tell them of before. Before all this" Cyprus gestured vaguely over his body. "Other days, well... You've seen what happens." Cyprus closed his eyes against the memories invading into his sight. "Hogwarts was beautiful when she was first constructed, everyone was welcome. The first feast of the year was always filled with such excitement. It was almost painful. The way the children always shouted at the impossibility of everything.

"I met with the founders every time I was brought back, they always welcomed my company, sometimes sought after it. We were happy. I was present at each of their weddings, some to muggle-borns others to the few half-bloods that were in existence. I was there for their first children" a small sad smile crossed his lips, "I was there for their funerals. Then I went away again for a bit, and when I was called back it was to a very different world than when I had left.

"Magic had been classified, Dark and Light magic! It is all about intent. I could kill all of you right now with Wingardium Leviosa and it would still be a Light spell. They prosecuted those who used their supposed 'Dark Magic' even when used in healing. I was all that was left of the old ways. So they called me out of my time sync and brought me into theirs, regardless of the consequences. That was the last day of my life." Severus had looked away from Cyprus, covering his face beneath his hair to hide his tears. It wouldn't do to ruin his reputation now. Dumbledores eyes were sparkling with unshed tears. Cyprus smiled slightly before closing his eyes and allowing sleep to claim him.

CyprusMagusCpyrusMagus

Severus knew the moment that Cyprus fell into the arms of Morpheus, he also knew that his reputation was shot to hell. He knew that he had to take the child to his chambers before one of his nightmares caused chaos.

The feast was finished and the elder students were helping the younger wake up and get to their common rooms. Severus watched Cyprus sleep. He couldn't make a pit stop at his quarters. They were too far away from the common rooms. With a sigh he picked up the boy in his arms and moved slowly through the great hall. Whispering small comforts in the boys ear.

When he reached the Slytherin common room he took a deep breath and attempted to wake the child. Cyprus woke quickly stifling a cry of terror.

"Hush child, hush. I must meet with my Slytherin's. It is important to set the ground rules of Slytherin on the first evening. If you do not wish to join me I can give directions to my quarters and the password." Cyprus slowly shook his head at the second suggestion. Stifling a yawn as they entered the common room.

"Welcome back to another year in Slytherin House. First years I am professor Snape, Potions Professor as well as your head of house. If there are any problems or concerns my door is always open. There are a few rules for Slytherin's. Rule 1: Don't get caught; rule 2: Slytherin house is your family and family sticks together. Keep your personal problems inside this common room whilst keeping up the front of house unity outside. As Slytherin's you will be ridiculed and ostracized. Finally rule 3: We protect our own. You each will undoubtably meet a friend from another house who would have done better in ours, they may be introduced as an honorary Slytherin and will fall under the same protection. I hope you enjoy your time in Slytherin house and at Hogwarts." Severus finished his speech, glancing at each of the first years and glaring at the older years. "As such I feel it would be prudent to introduce one to us now. This is Cyprus. He has lived a very difficult past and will be treated with the same respect as you would treat me. Is that understood?" There were murmurs of yes professor and nods of assent. Many just gave a meaningful glance or a jerky nod towards the professor to show their acceptance. With a nod Severus continued,

"Cyprus is still very ill from his treatment and must be given rest, so I must see to him first as he is my ward. I am not however, abandoning you. Once Cyprus has been cared for I will return and speak to any of you who need assistance, as well as the prefects. I need you to know that I am always here for you.

"I will be harsh and demanding, I will always expect 100% from you all... But I am here for you. Until you either do not need me or I am no longer amongst the living. Even if I no longer teach or work here, I will still be available to you. Even if you no longer live here as a student or as a ward, I will still be here for you. I always want you to come to me with your problems, is that understood?" The whole common room was a mass of nodding heads as even the older years accepted the professors oath.

"Good. Prefects, you know what to do. I will be in my rooms should you need me." The professor carried Cyprus from the common room, as he had once again drifted off to sleep. As he was carried out the Slytherin's heard a pitiful whimper of pain escape the frail boy.

A/N: ** from Harry potter and the philosophers stone.

I know that I didn't get some of the sorting correct but if I write something that contradicts anything I have written on this chapter then please correct me and I will try to make the corrections as fast as possible. If not then please don't blame me but my summer is packed full and I often don't have access to a computer or wifi. I hope you enjoyed this, please read and review. I love it when people tell me what the think. Also send ideas for me to use as writers block is the one true enemy to this story.


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